What's the Tee? The scoop on WTA's backcountry shirts

Each year WTA organizes nearly 100 multi-day work parties in the backcountry, engaging close to 1000 volunteers. We are so grateful for our volunteers who take the time to spend up to 7 days in the backcountry with us, connecting to nature and each other as they create lasting memories. At the end of the trips, each volunteer gets a T-shirt as a token of appreciation.

A happy BCRT crew shows off their t shirts after working at Chain Lakes in 2024.

Designing a T-shirt that represents WTA, reflects our community and appeals to our volunteers is a challenge graphic designer Jenica Nordstrom tackles each year. Outside her day job, Jenica enjoys printmaking and draws inspiration for designs from other printmakers and artists, interests that come through in her approach to design.

Jenica explains, "The design process is a collaborative effort. The T-shirt design is an opportunity to be creative and a great canvas to relay our organization values. Together we put a lot of thought and intention into creating something unique. It's an intensive process but a labor of love." 

WTA's 2020 backcountry t shirt design. Bringing our community together with a shared mission.

One of Jenica's favorite designs was from 2020, which took on special significance as we were navigating the COVID-19 pandemic–a time when we all felt distant from each other.

• 2024 Backcountry Hat
• 
  Hats proved to be a volunteer favorite likely to return in the future.

"The shirt's intention was to bring everyone together during a particularly challenging period. WTA's mission — trails for everyone, forever — was the main focal point of the shirt to provide a singular unifying message. The stars on the shirt also helped add a touch of magic and happiness."

In 2024, we experimented with offering hats instead of shirts as we wanted to provide other WTA items for our volunteers' wardrobe. The hats were popular and we plan to alternate every few years in order to that we can offer a variety to our volunteers.

In 2025, we decided to return to the T-shirt and tried a new creative approach.

Working with Jenica, trail maintenance team senior manager Janée Romesberg designed this year's shirt using a printmaking technique called linocut.

This method involves carving a design into a linoleum surface with a sharp knife, with raised (uncarved) areas to create a mirror image of the intended print.

(left) Janee's design station is usually her living room floor scattered with art supplies. (right) Test prints to adjust linoleum carving. Photos by Janée Romesberg.

The lino is then covered in ink and pressed onto the paper to transfer the design. By using linocut, she aimed to create both an aesthetic that aligned with her personal artistic style while also designing something that our volunteers would be proud to wear.

While designing the shirt, Janée thought a lot about the volunteers and all they contribute to WTA.

"There is no gift that can truly honor all the time and energy our volunteers have shared, but I hope this T-shirt design leaves them feeling appreciated." For Janée, "It means a lot to have volunteers wear my design. There's a vulnerability to sharing something you've made with others. I can't wait to see the adventures these shirts go on."

The final design for this year's shirt. This year promises to be another exciting backcountry season! We hope you'll join us and collect your complimentary T-shirt along the way.

• Preview all our backcountry trips on Feb. 14. Registration opens Feb. 22
• Register for our backcountry Q&A on Feb. 19